On 16th September Arduino Release v3.3.1 based on ESP-IDF v5.5.1 came out:
This was 3 weeks ago so why has the board index not been updated? It is still on 3.3.0.
It is literally a 1 minute job to update https://downloads.arduino.cc/packages/package_index.json to have the correct version.
Please can someone update this file, but also tell me why it takes so long for it to get updated? Thanks.
Hi @ardugitter. I know you are already aware, but for the benefit of the other forum members who read this, I'll share the information I gave in your GitHub issue on the subject:
https://github.com/arduino/arduino-ide/issues/2793#issuecomment-3368570656
The "esp32" boards platform is included in the primary package index. However, since the Arduino developers are not directly involved in the maintenance of the "esp32" platform, they don't always notice when a new release of that platform is made, and may take some time to find time to add the new release to the primary package index after noticing. So, unfortunately, there tends to be a delay of some weeks or months between when a release of the "esp32" platform and when it becomes available via the primary package index.
In addition to the primary package index, Arduino IDE also has support for getting data from additional package index files, downloaded from arbitrary URLs specified by the user. The maintainers of the "esp32" boards platform provide their own package index. That index will always contain data for the latest releases. So if you want to have access to the latest release, you only need to add that URL to your Arduino IDE preferences, following the instructions provided in the "esp32" platform documentation:
https://docs.espressif.com/projects/arduino-esp32/en/latest/installing.html
[...]
I have already notified the maintainers of the primary package index of the problem of new "esp32" platform releases not being promptly added to the package index (the issue tracking that problem is in a private repository, so not visible to the general public).
Okay, but this still doesn't explain who is responsible for this file which needs updating.
I have it working now by adding additional board URLs. I found this link useful:
The Arduino company is responsible.
Okay. I'm sorry I didn't take the time to read your original reply properly. All fixed now anyway.
I have an update on this subject: the 3.3.1 release of the "esp32" boards platform has now been added to the primary package index. So Arduino users will now be able to install version 3.3.1 even if they haven't added the additional URL to their preferences.
However, the situation of there being a delay between the time of the release and when the release is added to the primary package index remains. So I still recommend anyone who wants to remain at the "cutting edge" version of the platform to put the URL in their preferences, according to the "esp32" platform's installation instructions.